


Chasing your Family

by mapofthestars



Series: Chasing [3]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Harry!!!! I remembered Harry!!!!, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, I did write Niall's name once though, I think you would call it abuse, M/M, Might have forgotten Niall and Liam though, Past Abuse, When can I ever write something without angst hurt and fluff, opps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-27
Updated: 2014-05-27
Packaged: 2018-01-26 18:33:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1698392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mapofthestars/pseuds/mapofthestars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Louis had just about had enough of people judging him. He leapt up to challenge the girl, when he saw she wasn't staring at him, but rather at Zayn. </em>
  <br/>
  <em>"Zayn..." she managed to choke out.</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Louis turned to look at his boyfriend. Zayn's face was ashen, his eyes stared blankly past Louis to the girl. He looked like he'd seen a ghost.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>[Or the one where Zayn finds his family, Louis is the best supportive boyfriend ever and Harry has a mysterious date]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chasing your Family

**Author's Note:**

> Part three has arrived. Finally. 
> 
> All the usual stuff:  
> => unbeta'd because my beta has way too much work at the moment and I don't want to burden her with this as well  
> => I don't own One Direction

There was no reason that Thursday should have been any different to all the other's. Louis had met Zayn at the end of his lecture, they were going to Starbucks and everything was perfectly normal. Until it wasn't.

Zayn kept Louis tucked into him the whole way round the corner to Starbucks. Zayn joined the surprisingly short queue whilst Louis wandered off to find a table.

He slumped down in the chair, resting his arms on the table and letting his head fall onto them. It had been a long day. The best swimmer on the Uni team, Tom Daley, had nearly been kicked off the team because he had come out as bisexual. And Louis had been the one who had to comfort Tom, and remind him of everything he had, and everyone he had around him to support him. His beautiful boyfriend, though not quite as beautiful and mind-blowingly wonderful as Zayn. But Zayn had been kicked out of his own family. It seemed to Louis that the universe just didn't want gay people to have an easy life.

Louis sighed and buried his head deeper into the warmth of his arms. He felt Zayn's fingertips brushing through his hair, gently massaging his scalp. Louis looked up at his boyfriend, who had just put a large cup of coffee in front of him.

Louis smiled, pulling Zayn across the table and catching his mouth in a kiss. Both boys were paying no attention to everyone else, when a loud smash broke them apart.

Louis turned round to see a dark-skinned girl staring at the two of them, her coffee cup lying smashed on the floor.

Louis had just about had enough of people judging him. He leapt up to challenge the girl, when he saw she wasn't staring at him, but rather at Zayn.

"Zayn..." she managed to choke out.

Louis turned to look at his boyfriend. Zayn's face was ashen, his eyes stared blankly past Louis to the girl. He looked like he'd seen a ghost.

Louis abandoned all thoughts of challenging the girl, and stepped into Zayn's space. He blocked Zayn's view of the girl and put his hands on either side of Zayn's face.

"Zayn." he said gently. "Zayn, what's wrong?"

Zayn's eyes focused on Louis.

"Doniya." he whispered brokenly. Then he grabbed Louis' hand and dragged them both out of the coffee shop.

Zayn was shaking, but he didn’t stop running away. Zayn dragged Louis to a bench across the road, before collapsing onto it. Louis put his arms around Zayn, and he his heart clenched as he felt the dark-skinned boy shake in his arms.  

Louis watched as the girl followed them across the road, as ashen as Zayn and stopped in front of Zayn.

"Zayn," she tried again. "I was wrong then. I know that now. I let her brainwash me into believing it. I'm so sorry." She sounded as though she were pleading with him, although Louis had no idea about what. Her voice was cracking with emotion.

"No!" Zayn practically shouted, jumping up, fists clenched. "You abandoned me like everyone else. You didn't help. You didn't do anything. You just stood there and watched. I've managed to pull myself back together. I'm happy now. You can't just appear and expect me to forgive you of everything you said. Go away and leave me alone." The venom in Zayn’s voice hung in the air between them.

The girl looked shocked by Zayn's outburst. She paled even more and just watched as Zayn stormed off towards their flat. Louis was about to run after him when the girl grabbed his arm. Louis turned on her, almost about to snarl with anger. He had no idea what this girl had done to Zayn, but Zayn hated her guts, so Louis hated her on principle. She shied away from his fierce expression, but held her ground.

"I know he hates me, and for good reason, for what I said and what I didn't do. But one day he might want this." She pressed a piece of paper into Louis' hand. Then she turned and walked away, tears shining in her eyes.

Louis shoved the paper in his pocket, not even looking at what it said, before running after Zayn. He caught Zayn up quite quickly and they walked back to the flat in silence. Louis was desperate to ask questions, but he knew now wasn't the time. Zayn needed to calm down and escape into his art before he would open up to Louis.

As Louis predicted, the minute he opened the door of the flat, Zayn disappeared into their spare bedroom slash art studio. Louis could hear the clinking of spray cans, and vaguely paused to wonder whether Zayn had been bothered to put up a canvas or was just spraying directly onto the walls ... again. Zayn could now afford canvases so at least his art wasn't being wasted on the walls at the back of old theatres, like it used to.

“What’s wrong?” asked Harry, looking between Louis and the bedroom door. Louis shrugged. “I’m not quite sure yet. He’ll tell me soon enough.” Harry nodded.

“Will you cook dinner for me?” asked Louis, pouting and looking at Harry through his fluttering lashes. But Harry just laughed. “The bedroom eyes don’t work on me Lou. Save them for your boyfriend. I’ve got a date. You’ll have to order a takeaway.” Now Louis looked at Harry, he did look a bit more dressed up than normal. Louis let his eyes run appraisingly up and down Harry’s long body.

“Looking good Styles.” Harry rolled his eyes, and pushed past Louis to the front door. Louis smacked him on the bum as he went past. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” he called.

Louis flicked through the pile of takeaway leaflets, debating whether to have pizza, Chinese, Thai or Indian. Louis couldn't cook. Every attempt ended in a very badly burnt dinner, kitchen or Louis. The kitchen was an evil place. Louis shuddered at the thought.

He eventually decided on Chinese. He was sitting eating it, when a paint splattered Zayn appeared, lured from his art by the smell of prawn chow mein.

They sat there in silence. Louis didn't want to start talking. He knew Zayn would say more if he were left to say it in his own time.

"Her name is Doniya."

Louis looked up, but Zayn wasn't looking at him. He was staring at his food as though he thought he could move it to his mouth with brain power alone.

"She's my sister."

Shit, thought Louis. Then he hated her. She looked older than Zayn. How could she stand by and watch as her own brother was thrown out of the house aged 14. Then he thought, what the fuck was she doing. Zayn was happy and had built a new life with Louis. He didn't need his old family. Finally Louis realised he had just thought the same things as Zayn had, but Zayn had voiced them to Doniya.

Zayn told Louis all about his old life that evening. Louis learnt Zayn had three sisters; Doniya, who was older, and Waliyha and Safaa, who were both younger than Zayn.

Louis couldn't help but think of his own sisters. Think how he would feel if he hadn't been allowed to see them since he was 14. How they would feel growing up without their brother.

Louis learnt about how Doniya, who was 16 when Zayn was thrown out, had stood and watched. She had even backed her mother against Zayn, calling Zayn 'a disgusting faggot who doesn't deserve a family'. Louis was fighting to keep his anger boiling over when Zayn told him this. It rolled in his stomach, and Louis was not a violent person, but right then he wished he had punched Doniya when he had had the chance.

He was thinking again later when he was lying awake in bed, unable to sleep, with Doniya's number burning a hole in the pocket of his jeans. He wanted to rip it to shreds. He wanted to take Zayn's lighter and let the flames curl around the paper, destroying it. But he didn't. Zayn's parents might have thrown him out, and his older sister who could have helped didn't, but his younger sisters still deserved their brother.

* * *

Louis couldn't keep things from Zayn. Their relationship had started when Zayn let Louis into all the secrets that made up his life, and Louis would never hurt Zayn by breaking that trust and keeping something important a secret from him. So the next opportunity he got, he sat down with Zayn for a proper talk about Zayn's family.

They were lounging on their couch, with some trashy show on the TV that neither of them were really watching. Louis reached for the remote and muted the TV. He wordlessly placed the paper with Doniya's number in Zayn's hand.

Zayn opened the paper, and Louis watched his reaction as he realised what it was. Louis had expected a reaction, but Zayn's face stayed frozen in the same expression.

"Zayn," said Louis carefully, as Zayn's fists tightened, clenching around the paper. "Doniya may not deserve to talk to you, but your younger sisters need their older brother. They're also victims in all of this. And that number," Louis motioned at Zayn's clenched fist, "is the only way you're going to be able to get back in their lives."

Zayn nodded at Louis' words, and slowly released his grip on the paper.

"I'm not talking to Doniya." said Zayn quietly.

"You don't have to. I'll arrange everything if you want."

Zayn didn't answer, but the hug he pulled Louis into was answer enough.

* * *

“Did you find out what happened yesterday?” asked Harry the next evening, when it was just him and Louis in the flat.

“Oh no Haz. You can’t wriggle out of this one so easily. You tell me about your date, I’ll tell you about Zayn.”

Harry smiled coyly. Louis’ eyes widened. “Harry.” he exclaimed, scandalized. “Tell me everything.” Harry giggled. Giggled, like a fucking schoolgirl. “You’ve got a crush.” groaned Louis, dropping his head against the worktop. He opened one eye and stared at Harry. “So you’re not going to tell me anything at all. Girl? Guy? Nice? Sweet? Tattoos? Good in bed?” Harry just shook his head, grinning manically.

“But Lou, actually tell me about Zayn. Is he okay?” asked Harry seriously.

“I don’t know,” replied Louis, head still resting on the kitchen worktop. “It scares me that I can’t tell.”

Harry made a vague noise of assent, encouraging Louis to keep talking. “It’s his sister.” Louis said.

“Fuck.” Harry fumbled with the empty mug he was holding. The handle slipped through his fingers, but he caught it at the last minute.

“She just appeared in Starbucks. There was a bit of shouting, a smashed coffee cup, and you saw Zayn when he returned to the flat.” Harry’s full attention was now on Louis. “She gave me her number. Zayn and I have agreed that I will call at some point and see if we can get Zayn to see his sisters.”

“Thank you Lou.” said Harry truthfully. “Zayn had a lot of holes when I met him. I’ve filled a few. You’ve filled most of them. But there are still a few left that need his family.”

* * *

Louis called Doniya at the end of that week. Zayn had decided that that weekend was as good a time as any to try and meet up with his sisters.

Doniya picked up the phone after the first ring.

"Hello."

Louis recognised Doniya's voice. "Hello Doniya."

"Who is this?"

"Louis."

There was a pause from the end of the phone. "Do I know you?"

Louis was ready to hit his head against the wall. "I'm your brother's boyfriend." he replied shortly.

"Oh sorry. Did Zayn say anything? Will he see me? Has he forgiven me?" She sounded so earnest, but that still didn’t stop Louis from wanting to punch her.

"I don't know whether he will ever forgive you," replied Louis honestly. "But he does want to see Waliyha and Safaa. Is there any chance you might be able to being them to the Starbucks where you met us this weekend?"

"Yeah. I can just tell Mum I'm taking them to the park. Shall I text you what time later?"

"Yeah, that'd be good."

"Okay. And thank you Louis, for everything." This bit sounded really heartfelt. Louis could hear the emotion in her voice and it threw him slightly for a few moments.

"Bye Doniya."

Louis hung up before he heard her goodbye. Zayn had been listening to Louis' half of the conversation. Louis turned to see Zayn looking at him expectantly.

"Doniya said that it should be fine and she will text me the time."

"Thank you babe. I don't think I could have spoken to her."

* * *

Louis was jittery for all of Saturday. He was checking his phone constantly, worried he might have missed the distinctive opening bars of 'I'm sexy and I know it' (courtesy of Niall).

Louis got no texts from Doniya all of Saturday, and Louis could see Zayn getting more depressed with every hour that passed. Zayn had finally got his sisters within reach, and now he felt as though they had been snatched away from him.

The text they had both been waiting for came on Sunday morning.

_Just left. Should be at Starbucks in ten minutes. Doniya_

Louis barely had time to pull on his vans before Zayn physically dragged him out the door. Louis had to hold Zayn back from sprinting to Starbucks. Zayn needed to get there, or he needed a cigarette. Louis could see his fingers twitching, itching for it. And Louis wasn't letting him have either of them.

When they arrived at Starbucks, Louis immediately spotted Doniya seated at a table with two young girls, who he assumed were Waliyha and Safaa. Louis knew he was right when he saw the look of happiness lighting up Zayn's face when he caught sight of the two young girls.

Doniya looked up as they entered, and pointed them out to the older girl. Her eyes widened and she froze.

"Zayn?" She asked timidly.

Zayn barely managed to make out a choked "Waliyha." before she was running across the shop and throwing herself into his arms.

"I knew you would come back. I knew it. Mum said you wouldn't, but I knew you would. You promised you wouldn't leave us." Came her little voice buried deep in Zayn's side.

"I'm sorry Wali. I tried to find you. I would have come back faster if I had known how." said Zayn, patting his sister’s hair gently.

Louis noticed that the younger sister, Safaa, was tentatively making her way towards her brother and sister.

Zayn looked up from Waliyha to see Safaa standing there awkwardly.

"Safaa," he whispered, emotion choking up his voice.

The younger girl backed away from him, unsure. "Who are you?" she asked quietly.

"Safaa, I'm Zayn, your brother." said Zayn slowly.

The young girl shook her head. "No. I don't have a brother. I have two sisters, a mummy and a daddy."

Louis didn't notice Doniya take Safaa's hand gently, he was too busy watching something break behind Zayn's eyes. Louis knew Zayn well enough to be able to see the part of him that had just been crushed, trampled by Safaa's words.

"Don't be stupid Safaa," chided Waliyha. "This is our brother. Mummy doesn't like him, so he had to leave home, and Mummy can't know we met him today. But he is our brother."

Safaa peaked out from behind Doniya, nodding slowly, trusting her sister's words more than the words of Zayn.

Safaa opened up a lot more to Zayn during the hour they spend in Starbucks. Waliyha chatted non-stop, filling Zayn in on as many details of their lives as she could. Zayn remained cold to Doniya, never engaging her in the conversation. All the Malik girls agreed that they would meet with Zayn every Sunday if they could.

Although Zayn hid it well from his sisters, who didn't know him well, Louis could see the pain bubbling beneath Zayn's surface. The door had barely closed to their flat when something hopefully non-breakable sailed past Louis's and bounced off the opposite wall. Harry stood there shocked, watching Zayn, but not knowing what to say.

Louis turned to Zayn, and saw him curled up on the floor, sobbing. Louis wrapped his arms around Zayn, sinking down next to him on the floor of the hallway. Harry did the same on the other side.

"She didn't know who I was Louis. She didn't even know she had a brother." Louis didn't know what to say to console Zayn. Neither did Harry. How do you comfort someone who has just discovered their youngest sister didn't even know that they existed?

Zayn, Louis and Harry just sat there for about an hour, neither wanting to move nor knowing what to say.

Eventually Louis managed to convince Zayn to move, although they only made it as far as the sofa. Zayn snuggled down into the blanket there, worn out by everything that had happened that day. Louis made to move away, but Zayn made an affronted noise and reached out from Louis with his hand. Louis settled into the gap behind Zayn, curving his tanned body around his boyfriend’s darker one.

* * *

The weeks began to pass, falling into an easy routine. Doniya would take Waliyha and Safaa out every Sunday to meet up with Zayn. Louis and Harry could both see the happiness in Zayn’s eyes, and no more things had been thrown against the walls.

If it wasn't for the mounting stress of Louis' school placement, he would have thought everything was going too well.

Zayn continued going with Louis to visit his sisters every Sunday.

One Sunday in early November, Doniya texted to say that her mother was insisting on going to see all Zayn's cousins and family.

That was a hard weekend for Zayn. Zayn had come to terms with his close family now he could at least see his sisters every week. Louis couldn't pretend to understand the bonds in Zayn's big family, but Louis could tell that Zayn missed his cousin's loads. Harry had noticed something was up, and had cleared out to see this mysterious date that Louis still hadn’t found anything out about.

"Zayn?" Louis questioned quietly, as Zayn let his emotions out of a canvas. Zayn made no noise to show he had heard Louis, but Louis knew him well enough to recognize the slight hitch in his shoulders which showed he was listening.

"Were all you family, I mean like cousins and such, homophobic? Or did they stop seeing you because they didn't know where you were?"

Zayn's shoulders tensed. Louis could tell he could see the sense in Louis' words.

"They didn't try and help me or find me." Zayn gritted out through his teeth. It was easier for him to believe they abandoned him.

"If Doniya could subtly...”

Louis was cut off by Zayn's snort.

"What?" asked Louis.

"Doniya has never been subtle. Ever. Not one of her strong points. Smashed coffee cup remember."

Louis chuckled. Zayn's comment had broken the thin layer of unease that had settled over then in the silence.

"As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me," he drawled out, rolling his eyes dramatically at Zayn's interruption. Although Zayn couldn't see Louis' eye roll, the slump in his shoulders showed Louis sarcasm had relaxed him. "I think we should ask Doniya to scout around the rest of your family, find out if any of them would be  ... open ... to meeting with you."

Louis had paused. He had to pick his words carefully, and Louis had never had the best way with words. Zayn was the one who could find hidden meaning and beaut in the written word. Louis plucked them off the page and made them real, acting them out.

Zayn turned round and looked at Louis.

"You really think that would work?" he whispered. And in that one question Louis saw all of Zayn's fear and insecurity. Being abandoned because they had no way to find you or couldn't find you was very different to asking them to their face and being told that, no, they still don't want anything to do with you, you’re still not good enough.

Louis nodded. Zayn's lips pressed together nervously. "Call Doniya then." He said, before turning back to his art.

Louis walked out of Zayn's art room and grabbed his phone from the kitchen. The conversation was short. Doniya was sure that there were some cousins of Zayn who still remembered him, and were more open to homosexuality than Zayn's parents had been.

When Louis' phone buzzed that evening, the text from Doniya made no sense to him. It was just a list of names he couldn't pronounce. A second later, another text came through with an address Louis didn't recognise and a time the next weekend.

Louis showed his phone to Zayn, and could only watch as his eyes lit up at the list of names. They obviously meant more to him than they had meant to Louis. He pulled Louis into a huge hug. The spark of joy never left Zayn's eyes for that week.

Louis thought he'd never seen Zayn look happier. Except for when he asked Louis to go out with him. Or when they went to a gay club and Zayn realised he wasn't alone. Or the first time they had sex.

Okay, so there were many times Louis had seen Zayn look happy, and this was just another one.

Louis could only stand back and watch as Zayn made his way round one of his cousin's flats, where the whole get together was being held. Tears streamed down the faces of many there, including Zayn.

Louis discovered the Malik clan (and the rest of then who didn't have the surname Malik) were taking over everywhere. One girl was in Louis' drama lectures at the Uni, six others were also enrolled at the same Uni, one guy was even training to be a nurse and was being taught at the hospital by Louis' mum.

Louis felt like this was mission accomplished. Zayn had most of his family back around him, and looked happier than Louis had ever seen him. But something had to come along and ruin everything, like it always does.

* * *

It was the weekend before Christmas, when Doniya called.

"Hey Louis."

"Hey Doniya."

"Can we meet up at the shops in the centre of town?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I told mum I was taking them Christmas shopping. She'll be suspicious if they come back without having bought anything."

"Oh, okay. That's fine. I'll tell Zayn."

As the call ended, Zayn walked into the kitchen, bleary-eyed and soft with sleep. "What ya gotta tell me?" He mumbled.

"We're meeting your sisters at the shops, so they can buy some presents."

Zayn nodded, and sleepily turned his attention back to attempting to make breakfast. Louis rescued him when he was about to put orange juice in his cereals. Zayn didn't wake up properly until he got coffee, so Louis left him slumped on the sofa and made him a mug of coffee.

Zayn was marginally more awake by the time they arrived at the shops and saw Doniya, Waliyha and Safaa hanging around waiting for them. Waliyha and Safaa ran towards their older brother as soon as they saw him. Doniya hugged Zayn, which Louis thought was a remarkable improvement. Zayn hadn't been able to look at Doniya before, now they could at least act like brother and sister.

Waliyha and Safaa dragged Doniya, Zayn and Louis around every toy shop on the street. Eventually, Waliyha had found presents for everyone; Safaa was still a bit young to need to buy presents.

Finally they had finished. Doniya left the shop first with Louis and Louis saw her freeze suddenly, staring in horror at a woman on the other side of the street. The woman frowned when she caught sight of Doniya and Louis, and she hurried across the street towards them.

Louis felt Doniya grab his arm, trying to pull him out of the woman's way.

"Doniya," the woman shouted. "Why are you meeting up with this boy," her gaze flickered towards Louis," when you're supposed to be looking after Waliyha and Safaa? Where are they? I'm very disappointed in you."

"Mother ..." Doniya tried to explain, but was cut off by another tirade of questions.

Louis' head was reeling from the word 'mother'. This was the woman who had thrown Zayn out, who had left her own son to sleep on the streets, who had raised her youngest daughter to believe she didn't have a brother.

Then, if things couldn't get any worse, Zayn, Waliyha and Safaa came out of the shock. Three different expressions flashed across the three different faces. Safaa simply looked happy to see her mum. Waliyha looked confused, torn between standing with Zayn or following her little sister and running over to her mum. Zayn had paled, shocked and frozen.

"Waliyha, Safaa," said Trisha, smiling when she saw her two daughters. "You should have told me Doniya was meeting this boy and leaving you with this other boy." She waved her hand dismissively towards Zayn. "If he is your boyfriend, Doniya, you are going to be in serious trouble."

Safaa frowned. "Louis is not Doniya's boyfriend Mummy, he's ..." Safaa was quietened by her sister's hand quickly covering her mouth.

Trisha turned back to Louis. "If you're not my daughter's boyfriend, what are you and that boy doing here?"

Her look was challenging Louis to try and reply. But he couldn't think of a lie off the top of his head.

Louis was saved, but everything fell apart, when Zayn spoke. "Mum" he whispered. He spoke quietly, but the shock waves reverberating off that small word shook everyone.

Trisha froze, realisation seeping slowly across her face. "Waliyha. Safaa. Doniya. We are leaving. Now." she ordered. Maybe somewhere she hoped the girls didn't know who Zayn was. No one moved. Safaa was already by her mother's side, but Doniya and Waliyha remained firmly with Zayn.

"No." said Waliyha defiantly. "Zayn's our brother. We have every right to see him if we want to."

Trisha was shocked. "I will not be spoken to that way, young lady. While you live under my roof, you will obey me."

Waliyha said nothing, but grasped Zayn's hand, linking their fingers together.

"Mum," began Doniya. Trisha fixed her steely gaze on Doniya. "You left your own son on the streets. He could have died, and you don't care. How can you be a mother and not care? He's still your son, my brother, and he deserves your love. I hope you can understand what you've lost. Goodbye mother."

Doniya placed her hand firmly in Zayn's. The two sisters and brother left, leaving Louis, Trisha and Safaa.

Now it was Louis' turn to speak. "Doniya has said most of what needs to be said. But she can't say everything. I love Zayn. He's opened my eyes and I can't imagine living my life with anyone else next to me. He's a talented artist, and his voice is amazing. Did you know he sang to me before he asked me out?" Louis' eyes were shining, with love and tears. "And you lost all of that. You lost the most beautiful, perfect, wonderful son. And now you’re going to lose the rest of your daughters. I'm sorry for you. I really am. I want to hate you, for what you've done. But I can only pity you what you've lost that I now have. Goodbye Mrs Malik."

Louis ran off after Zayn and his sisters, to find they had been watching him talk, and even if they couldn't hear what he said. Louis tried not to cry from the emotion welling up in his throat. He buried his face into the crook of Zayn's neck, letting his boyfriend's comforting arm lead him home.

No one looked round to see a confused young Safaa watching her mother break down in the middle of the street.

* * *

If Harry was surprised to see three girls appear at his flat, asking to crash for an unknown amount of time. He didn’t show it. He just pulled some blankets out of the cupboard, went to the shops to buy some more food and asked sincerely whether they wanted him to go crash at a friend’s so the girls could use his room. Doniya said he really didn’t need to leave, that she was happy to sleep on the floor and let the two younger siblings sleep on the couch.

Doniya and Waliyha stayed with Zayn for a couple of days. It was the Christmas holidays, they had nowhere to be except home, which they had now classed as wherever Zayn was.

It was late, nearly 11pm, when the doorbell rang. Doniya went to answer the door. No one could hear the whispered conversation at the door. Doniya looked grave when she returned into the living room, and Louis knew why, because following her in was Trisha.

Trisha looked ... terrible. She had huge bags under her eyes. She looked like she hasn't slept since her daughters had disappeared. Her face was pale, drawn and, in that second, old. The lines that were usually hardly visible were running deep across her face, almost as deep as the scars across Zayn's heart. Tears rolled silently down her cheeks, as though they were trying to wash away all the mistakes she had made.

Everyone in the room stared at Trisha, stony faced and cold. The silence was oppressive. Trisha swallowed and sniffed loudly.

"I'm so sorry, Zayn. I ... I ..." She struggled to find the words she needed to convince her son of how she felt, what she knew now. "You were always my perfect son, so handsome and clever. And then you said you were ..." Trisha couldn't make her mouth make that word. She left the silence hanging for a beat. Everyone knew what she meant. "And you were still perfect, are still perfect. I just couldn't see that. A little piece of me died when you left. I told myself it wasn't true, that I didn't hate myself for what I'd done. I never stopped to think about it, because it was just too painful. And eventually you start believing the lies you tell yourself. Eventually I actually believed I hated you and had never loved you. It took Doniya and Louis to make me unlock that part of my heart, remember how to feel pain, and love."

The tears were streaming down her face, but doing nothing to wash the cold from Zayn's features.

"I can't forgive you or dad. I can't. You've caused too much damage. But I can't lose my sisters again. I need them. I won't come to the house. But you will not stop me seeing my sisters." Trisha nodded furiously, but she couldn't find the words to stop Zayn.

Zayn turned to his sisters. "It's time for you to go home now." They grabbed him into a hug, whispering promises into his ear that Louis couldn't quite hear.

Zayn stayed strong until they left. But as the door clicked closed he crumpled into Louis' side. "I found them, Lou. I found them. My family." Louis smiled, his arms wrapped tight around Zayn.

Louis knew that compared to the relationship Louis had with his family, no amount of promises could ever heal Zayn's scars. But when you have nothing, something can mean everything.

But he still had to find out who Harry’s mysterious date was.

**Author's Note:**

> In the middle of exams and uploading this is distracting me from the actual revision I am supposed to be doing. 
> 
> I know The Vamps kind of disappeared from this one but they will be coming back in later parts of the series. I just felt Zayn needed to get his life in order first. I also know Liam and Niall disappeared as well. Liam will probably come back to look after his baby brother when The Vamps return. Not sure about Niall though. I'll write Niall on a big sticky note on my laptop to remind me to include him. 
> 
> Also Harry's mysterious date will be appearing later as well. (Haven't actually decided who said mysterious date is yet, but he/she will appear. (It will probably be a he because I'm a sucker for the gayness.))


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